NORTH CAROLINA PUTS MARRIAGE EQUALITY ON THE BALLOT FOR 2012, CONSTITUTIONALIZING THE RIGHT TO DISCRIMINATE

National Pflag has issued the following statement regard-

ing the legislature’s approval of a May 2012 ballot

measure that will allow North Carolina residents to vote

on amending the state constitution to bar legal recogni-

tion of any union besides marriage between one man and one

woman, including civil unions and domestic partnerships for

LGBT and straight couples.

Jody Huckaby, Executive Director of the National Office of Pflag, said the following:

“We at Pflag National are frustrated and furious that once again the legal rights of thousands of taxpaying citizens—this time in the beautiful state of North Carolina–will be put to a vote of the people.

That the legislature’s vote on this ballot measure was fast-tracked at the emotional expense of couples around the state and the financial expense of all North Carolinians, is even worse.

The fact is this: Discrimination in marriage equality is already the law of the land in North Carolina. To attempt to constitutionalize it in North Carolina is to make it even more of an official act that will sanction and perpetuate the denial of basic human rights and dignity to fellow humans.

Who will this constitutional amendment protect? Certainly not the thousands of families who live and work in the state who will have further rights stripped away from them, leaving them unprotected in matters of healthcare, estate planning, tax benefits and more. Certainly not businesses headquartered in the state, like our partner at Bank of America, Replacements, Ltd., Mitchell Gold-Bob Williams and other corportations whichcame out in strong opposition to this proposed amendment because they understand that discrimination in any form is bad for business.

And certainly not the State of North Carolina itself which, in the current economy and the wake of the destruction by Hurricane Irene, needs revenue pouring in, not resources draining as these same corporations, which have a long-standing commitment to equality and oppose discrimination in all forms, are perhaps compelled to leave the state.”